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Livingstone's violent London

Posted on 26 March 2004

Conservative Mayoral candidate Steve Norris has pledged more police on the streets following crime figures confirming London as Britain's most violent city. Statistics issued by the Metropolitan Police reveal a "relentless rise" in violent crimes in the capital, with Londoners facing a one-in-forty chance of being attacked on the streets.

In the past three years, violent offences have risen by 13 per cent - up from 160,000 to 181,000 a year; while the number of rapes and sex offences have leapt by 6 per cent, drug offences are up almost 30 per cent, and assaults with an offensive weapon have increased from 7,600 to 8,500. In London 25 violent offences are committed for every 1,000 people a year.

Protested Mr Norris: "Under Ken Livingstone, London is becoming an increasingly violent place in which to live and work. But this relentless rise in violent and sexually motivated assaults is not inevitable.

"As Mayor, I will insist on seeing many more police officers back on the streets and stamping down on anti-social behaviour. That is what Londoners want from the man who controls the budget of the Metropolitan Police. What London needs is a Mayor who is simply not prepared to accept the status quo."

Mr Norris' plans for tackling violent crime in London include a more visible police force patrolling in every part of the capital, guaranteed minimum numbers of officers patrolling in each borough regardless of Central London demands, getting the entire community involved in tackling crime with businesses, councils and voluntary groups playing their part, and much greater investment in crime prevention particularly targeted at young people.